Laundry apparatus



Dec. 11, 1962 w, GRANTHAM 3,067,986

LAUNDRY APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 )NVENTOR,Feare/ae (a GQQK/f/VQM Dec. 11, 1962 F. w. GRANTHAM LAUNDRY APPARATUS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 ine/V5 5 F. W. GRANTHAM LAUNDRYAPPARATUS Dec. 11, 19 62 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 INVEN TOR,I Feb 0586K (a 6847M Dec. 11, 1962 w, GRANTHAM 3,067,986

Y APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 11, 1962 F. W. GRANTHAM LAUNDRYAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 BY 5M7? 3,067,986 LAUNDRYAPPARATUS Frederick W. Grantham, Hollywood, Calif, assignor to JoannGrantham, Hollywood, Calif. Filed Nov. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 697,1ti9 1Claim. (Ci. 259-3) This invention relates to laundry apparatus, moreparticularly to laundry driers of the tumbler type. Included in theobjects of this invention are:

First to provide a laundry drier which incorporates a novel access doorand operating mechanism, wherein the door occupies an open positionclosely overlying the laundry drier housing and moves essentiallyedgewise between its open and closed position so that the door does notat any time project materially into aisle space in front of the housing.

Second, to provide a laundry drier which includes an outer housingstructure and an inner rotatable basket structure, the housing structurebeing so arranged that it pivots about an axis located below the axis ofrotation of the basket and adjacent the forward or front side of thehousing; the housing having an intermediate position in which the dryingoperation takes place, an upper, forwardly and downwardly tiltedposition for discharge of its contents, and a lower, rearward andupwardly tilted position for reception of clothes to be dried, theloading and unloading positions being so arranged that loads may besupplied to or removed from the drier in a minimum of time, eithermanually or by conveyors or other mechanical handling machines.

Third, to provide a laundry drier wherein the margins of the loading andunloading opening of the drier basket protrude beyond the housing sothat danger of snagging or catching the clothes between the housing andthe hasket is eliminated, and wherein the door closing the basketopening rotates therewith so that all surfaces of the basket when closedrotate with the load.

Fourth, to provide a laundry machine of this class which, thoughparticularly adapted for use as a laundry drier, may be adapted for useas a washing machine.

Fifth, to provide in a laundry drier a means whereby the contents may beinspected and hand sampled While the machine is in operation.

Sixth, to provide a laundry drier wherein the drier basket may beoscillated while the contents are being unloaded so as to separate theclothes and facilitate the unloading operation.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

. FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front view of the laundry apparatus shownarranged as a drier;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, showing particularly the dooroperating mechanism and indicating its initial movement by broken lines;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional, partial side view of the apparatus takensubstantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing oneof the oscillating switches employed in the course of unloading theapparatus;

' FIG. 5 is a fragmentary wiring diagram associated with the oscillatingswitches;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear view of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through 77 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a further enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the doorshowing particularly the inspection window;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view through 9-9 of FIG. 8 showingparticularly the bearing mounting for the. door;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, substantially diagrammatical view illustratingthe three positions occupied by the laundry apparatus, namely, theloading, operating, and discharging positions thereof;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side view of the apparatus, showing the mannerin which the door moves clear of the mouth of the basket structure forpurposes of loadingand unloading;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the apparatus;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken through 13-13 of FIG. 12,showing particularly the safety device employed to shut off theapparatus in the event that the basket structure therein fails torotate;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the mode of operation ofthe safety device.

The laundry apparatus includes a base frame 1 comprising a bottom 2, endwall structures 3, a front wall 4, and a back wall 5. The bottom isrectangular in plan, and the end walls project above the level of thefront and back walls 4 and 5.

Mounted within the base frame 1 is a housing structure 6 which includessemicircular end plates 7, a flat front wall 8, a flat back wall 9, andsemicylindrical top and bottom walls 10 and 11. The end plates 7 projectrearwardly of the back wall 9 and form therewith a compartment for anoperating mechanism to be described hereinafter.

' The housing structure 6 is supported relative to the base frame 1 by ajournal shaft 12 extending between bearings 13 supported in the end wallstructure 3 of the base frame 1. The axis of the journal shaft 12 islocated adjacent the bottom wall 11 of the housing structure 6 and asnear the front wall 4 of the base frame 1 as possible. The front wall 8is provided with a large aperture 14 which receives the mouth of abasket structure to be described hereinafter. One of the end plates 7 isprovided with a hot air inlet 15 near the upper portion of the housingstructure 6 and a hot air outlet 16 near the lower portion thereof.

Disposed outwardly of the corresponding end wall structure 3 of the baseframe 1 is a cabinet 17 which houses the various controls for theapparatus as well as air ducts, not shown. Mounted on top of the cabinet17 is a heater and blower unit 18 having a discharge duct 19 which isadapted to communicate with the hot air inlet 15 when the apparatus isin its operating position. The arrangement for the circulation of hotair into and out of the apparatus is more fully described in Patent2,643,463, issued June 30, 1953.

The housing structure 6 is tilted about the axis of the journal shaft 12by means of a pair of cylinders 20 and a single cylinder 21. The threecylinders are secured together with their axes parallel to form a singleunit. The pair of cylinders 20 are directed downwardly and are providedwith piston rods 22 which extend downwardly and are pivotally anchoredto bracket plates 23 secured between the bottom and back walls of thebase frame 1.

Patented Dec. 11, 1952,

is The cylinder 21 which is interposed between the pair of cylinders 20extends upwardly and is provided with an upwardly directed piston rod 24which is pivotally anchored to a bracket 25 secured to a cross bar 26extending between the end plates 7 of the housing structure 6.

When the rods 22 associated with the cylinders 26 are extended and therod 24 associated with the cylinder 21 is retracted, the housingstructure 6 is in its intermediate or operating position indicated by Ain FIG. 10. When the piston rods 22 are retracted, the housing structure6 is tilted backwardly about the journal shaft 12 to its retracted orloading position B in which the front wall of the housing structure istilted upwardly. When both the piston rods 22 and 24 are extended, thehousing structure 6 is tilted forward to its unloading position C inwhich the front wall 8 is tilted downward. Suitable control means forthe pistons, not shown, are housed in the cabinet 17.

By reason of the fact that the axis of the journal shaft 12 is offsetfrom the center of gravity of the housing structure 6, it is preferredto provide springs 27 connected by arms 28 to the underside of thehousing structure and connected by anchor pins 29 to the back wall ofthe base frame 1. The springs 27 exert a torque in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 3.

Mounted within the housing structure 6 is a basket structure 30 whichincludes a back wall 31, a cylindrical section 32 joined thereto, and afrusto-conical forward section 33 terminating in a mouth 34 whichregisters with the aperture 14. The mouth 34 is provided with an annularlip 35 which projects through and overlies the outer side of the marginof the aperture 14. The cylindrical section 32 is preferably perforated,whereas the frustoconical section 33 is preferably without perforations.Suitable conventional agitator ribs, or the like, not shown, may beprovided within the basket structure, as shown in the aforementionedPatent 2,643,463.

The basket structure 30 is supported in part by an annular track 36located at the juncture of the cylindrical and conical portions 32 and33 of the basket structure. The track 36 rotates on a pair of rollers"37 suitably supported from the bottom wall 11 of the housing structure6. Support of the basket structure 30 is completed by a central shaft 38extending rearwardly from the back wall 31 of the basket structurethrough the back wall 9 of the housing structure 6. The shaft 38 issupported by a hearing 39 mounted on a beam 40 extending across the rearside of the back wall 9.

Suitably supported from the back wall 9 and the rearwardly projectingportion of one of the end plates 7 is a shelf 41 on which is mounted amotor 42, preferably a gear motor. The motor is connected by a belt andpulley drive 43 to the shaft 38, a large pulley being mounted on theshaft 38 to further reduce the rotation speed of the shaft.

The back wall 9 of the housing structure 6 is preferably covered by apad 44 of heat-insulating material. The cylindrical section 32 projectsslightly beyond the back wall 31 and bears against the insulation pad44, and ultimately Wears a groove therein so as to minimize circulationof hot air between the back wall 31 of the basket structure 30 and theback wall 9 of the housing structure 6. A partition 45 of insulatedmaterial apertured to receive the cylindrical section 32 may beinterposed between the forward extremity of the cylindrical section andthe surrounding housing structure 6.

The mouth 34 of the basket structure 30 is closed by a door structure 46which includes a tubular hub 47 which supports a rearward plate 48 andforward plate 49. Both plates are circular and are joined together attheir peripheral margins. The rearward plate is provided with an annularguide flange 50 which is dimensioned to fit freely within the mouth 34.The rearward plate extends radially beyond the flange St) to overlie theannular lip 35. A gasket 51 of heat-insulating material is clampedbetween 4 the flange 50 and rearward plate 48 so as to seal against theannular lip 35.

The hub 47 projects forwardly of the forward plate 49 and carries abearing 52, preferably a ball bearing. The bearing 52 is adapted to bemounted at the central portion of a cross bar 53. Yieldable positioningrings 54 and 55 are interposed between the bearing 52, and cross bar 53,and the forward plate 49, respectively, so that the door structure 46 iscapable of tilting slightly relative to the cross bar 53. The cross bar53 is provided with an aperture which aligns with the opening throughthe tubular hub 47, and is normally covered by a hinged inspectionwindow 56 having a transparent panel 57. The tubular hub 4'7 is ofsufficient diameter to permit insertion of ones hand so that a touchtest of the contents of the basket may be made.

The cross bar 53 is joined at its extremities to side arms 58 which formwith the cross bar 53 a U-shaped yoke. The side arms 58 extend along theend plates 7 of the housing structure 6. The side arms 58 are supported,when the door structure 46 is approximately aligned with the mouth 34,on a pair of rollers 59 carried by each end plate 7 adjacent the frontwall 8. The side arms 58 extend backwardly therefrom and are pivotallyconnected near their extremities to lever arms 60 which are mounted onstub shafts 61 extending outwardly from the end plates 7. The stubshafts 61 preferably coincide with the transverse axis of the housingstructure 6.

Rearwardly of the pivotal connections between the side arms 58 and leverarms 60 the side arms 58 are provided with the abutment pads 62 at theirupper sides. The rela tionship of the lever arms 60 to the side arms 58and abutment pads 62 is such that when the lever arms 60 are rotatedclockwise from the solid line position in FIG. 2 the yoke moves the doorstructure 46 substantially axially away from the mouth 34 until theguide flange 50 clears the mouth 34 and annular lip 35. Continued rotation of the lever arms 60 causes the abutment pads 62 to engage underhubs 63 which mount the lever arms 60 on the shafts 61, so that the yokeand door structure 46 pivots about the axis of the stub shafts 61 asshown in FIG. 11. The door structure 46 thus moves substantiallyedgewise along a path closely adjacent the housing structure 6 to aposition overlying the top wall 10.

Rotation of the lever arms 60 is accomplished by means of arms 64integral with the lever arms 60 to which are attached rearwardlyextending adjustable links 65 that are in turn connected to lever arms66 secured to a cross shaft 67 extending between the end plates 7rearwardly of the back wall 9 of the housing structure 6. Also securedto the cross shaft 67 is a pair of drive arms 68 which are pivotallyconnected to one end of a cylinder 69. A spring 69a may extend betweenthe extremities of the arms 68 and the bottom of the rear wall 9 topartially counterbalance the door structure 46. A piston rod 70 extendsfrom the other end of the cylinder 69 and is pivotally connected to abracket 71 secured to the back wall 9 of the housing structure 6.

Extension of the piston rod 70 causes the door structure 46 to move fromits closed position shown by solid lines in FIG. 2 through theintermediate broken line position shown in FIG. 2 to a final positionbeyond the solid line position shown in FIG. 11. In order to closelyapproximate a straight line or auxiliary movement during its finalclosing movement or its initial opening movement, the under sides of theside arms 58 may be provided with cam recesses 72 cooperating with therollers 59.

It is desirable when unloading the basket structure 30 to rock oroscillate it. This may be accomplished by means shown particularly inFIG. 4 and 5 and indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Suitably mounted on the conical portion of the housing structure 6, nearthe front wall 8 of the housing structure, is a trip lug 73. Suitablysupported within the;

housing structure 6, at a desirable arcuate distance either side of acentral axis, is a pair of switches 74. These switches are preferablymounted on lever arms 75 supported by brackets 76 secured to the topwall of the housing. A spring 77 normally holds each switch 74 clear ofengagement by the trip lug 73. However, each bracket 76 supports asolenoid 78 so arranged as to tilt the corresponding lever arm 75 andmove the corresponding switch 74 into position for engagement by thetrip lug 73. The switches 74 are normally closed and each trip lug 73 isin series with a corresponding manual push button switch 79. Thesolenoids 78 are parallel connected with the switches 74.

The switches 74 are electrically connected with a reversing relay 80which controls the motor 42. When one of the push button switches 79 isclosed, the basket structure 30 rotates until the trip lug 73 opens thecorresponding switch 74. When the other push button switch 79 is closed,the basket structure 30 rotates in the opposite direction until theother switch 74 is open. By pressing alternately on the push buttons 79the operator may oscillate the basket structure.

It is essential that the circulation of hot air Within the housingstructure 6 and through the basket structure 30 be turned otf in theevent that the basket should cease to rotate for any reason or rotatebelow a preset speed. The means for accomplishing this result in FIGS.12, 13, and 14 is a small air pump 81 which includes a cylinder 82pivotally supported by a bracket 83 to the rearwardly extending portionof one of the end plates 7. The pump 81 also includes a connecting rod84 which is journalled on a crank pin 85 mounted at the end of the shaft38; for example, on the hub portion of the large pulley wheel whichforms a part of the belt and pulley drive 43.

The pump 81 supplies air to air line 86 and accumulates pressure thereinwhich holds a pressure switch 87 closed as long as the air pressure isabove a preset minimum. The air pressure may be controlled by a suitablebleed valve 88 having a port dimensioned to permit escape of a portionof the air during rotation of the basket structure 30. Should therotation fall below a predetermined minimum or cease, then the bleedvalve 88 relieves the pressure in the air line 86 and permits thepressure switch 87 to open. The pressure switch 87 is suitably connectedby a conventional electric circuit to the blower or to the burnerassociated therewith.

Operation of the laundry apparatus is as follows:

The construction as shown is intended primarily as a drier, althoughfeatures of the apparatus are adaptable to washing machines.

When the housing structure 6 is in its normal or position A, shown inFIG. 10 and also shown in FlGS. l and 3, the air inlet and outletapertures 15 and 16 are in registry with the appropriate ducts of theair supply system, which not only includes blowers for the purpose ofcirculation but also a suitable heating means such as a gas-operatedburner. For the purposes of this invention, the air supply means may beconsidered as conventional, and as indicated previously may be of thetype represented in Patent No. 2,643,463. When the housing 6 is in itsintermediate or operating position A, the basket structure 30 is locatedso that hot air passing through the housing structure 6 may circulatethrough the basket structure to dry the contents.

In order to load the basket structure 30, the housing structure 6 istilted to the position B shown in FIG. 10 by operation of the cylinders20. In this position the mouth 34 is tilted upward. For purposes ofloading, the door structure 46 is moved edgewise clear of the mouth 34beyond the position shown in FIG. ll. By reason of the fact that themouth 34 is directed upwardly, the load intended for the basketstructure 30 may be readily fed by gravity from an overhead conveyorsystem, not shown, or may be manually fed from the front side of thehousing. It will be noted that the axis of the journal 6 shaft 12 isclose to the lower extremity of the mouth 34 so that the elevation ofthe mouth does not change substantially as the housing structure 6 istilted. Thus the mouth 34, when in its load-receiving position, is notappreciably elevated and therefore minimizes the height to which theload must be raised for entry into the basket structure 30.

After the basket structure 30 has been loaded with clothes, or otherarticles to be dried, the housing structure 6 is tilted to itsintermediate or operating position A by extension of the piston rods 22.The basket structure is then rotated by operation of the motor 42. Oncompletion of the drying cycle, the cylinder 21 and piston rod 24 areoperated to tilt the housing structure forwardly to the unloadingposition C shown in FIG. 10. First, however, the door structure 46 ismoved clear of the mouth 34. It will be noted that the door structurefirst moves axially until free of the mouth 34, and then moves edgewisein a path close to the surface of the housing structure 6 to anout-of-the-way position at the top thereof, so that the door in its openposition does not obstruct the aisle in front of the apparatus and in nomanner interferes with either the loading or unloading operation.

The unloading operation may take place while the housing structure 6 ismoving from the position A to the position C. During this movement thelower margin of the mouth 34 is displaced only a slight distance due tothe location of the journal shaft 12, so that it is not necessary tomove the receptacle for the contents of the basket structure 30 whilethe housing structure is being tilted. Also it will be noted that thelow position of the mouth 34 may be maintained sufliciently above floorlevel so that the contents of the basket may be discharged by gravityinto a receptacle or carrier.

During the unloading operation, the basket structure 36 may be rotatedto facilitate removal of the clothes or other contents. However, it ispreferred to oscillate the basket structure only as needed to facilitateoutflow of the clothes. This is accomplished by manually closing firstone and then the other of the push button switches 79, or by use of aconventional timing switch to accomplish the same operationautomatically. After the contents have been unloaded, the housingstructure 6 is tilted to its opposite extreme position B for receptionof another load, and the cycle is then repeated.

It will be observed that the inlet 15 and outlet 16 are in registry withthe hot air supply system only when the housing structure 6 is in itsintermediate or operating position A. Conventional manual or automaticcontrols are provided, such as shown in the aforementioned Patent2,643,463, shutting off the source of heat and the blowers when thehousing structure 6 is in its loading or unloading position; therefore,the fact that the inlet and outlet are out of registry with the supplysystem at these times is immaterial.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details ofthe construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications,and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as comewithin the purview of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A laundry apparatus, comprising: a basket structure having an axis ofrotation and a loading and unloading mouth coaxial therewith; a housingstructure enclosing and rotatably supporting said basket structure, saidhousing structure including end walls and having a front wall aperturedto expose said mouth; a yoke frame including arms pivotally connected tothe end walls of said housing and a cross bar extending across saidfront wall; means incorporated in the connection between said yoke frameand housing structure to effect limited movement of said cross barsubstantially along the axis of rotation of said basket structure; atubular hub carried rotatably by said cross bar; a door mounted on saidhub, said door being movable by said yoke frame axially to and fromsealing engagement with said mouth and laterally to and from a positionlaterally clear of said mouth; said tubular hub forming a hand holeavailable during rotatiun of said basket structure for hand sampling ofthe contents thereof. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,504,991 Stern Aug. 12, 1924 10 0;, Russakov Feb. 13, 1934 Bowdoin eta1. June 8, 1943 Maxon Mar. 25, 1952 Grantham June 30, 1953 HilkerneierNov. 1, 1955 Gleason June 3, 1958 Maxon Apr. 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTSCanada Ian. 13, 1953

